Anointed Ministry tips people in Phalombe on post-floods life

New Life Anointed Ministry, a local faith-based non– governmental organization has advised people in Phalombe to consider making arrangements to return to their normal lives after being affected by the floods recently.

Chilima tours part of the affected areas

Executive Director for New Life Anointed Ministry, Bishop Christopher Kapito gave the advice on Thursday when the organization delivered relief items such as food and recreational materials for children of the flood victims currently camping at Phaloni Primary School in Traditional Authority Kaduya in the district.

New Life Anointed Ministry with assistance from French Ministries International assisted the victims with maize and other non-food items valued at K700, 000.

Kapito observed that now that the water had subsided and the land being dry, it was the right time people considered reconstruction in areas less prone or constructing temporary shelters somewhere else away from the school to allow children learn without interference.

“They are camping in school blocks, a thing that is affecting children’s education. This may have more negative effects in the long term, that is why we’re here to utilize the little support from well wishers to help them return to their normal lives,” said Kapito.

Kapito said the victims’ stay at the school campus was not only distractive to learning but also posed security and health threats, noting that outbreaks of communicable diseases such as cholera would be difficult to manage in a place where people were crowded.

Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima rushed to Phaloni with relief items from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs a few days after the floods displaced more than 400 households in the district.

Among the relief items that Chilima, who is also Minister responsible for Disaster Affairs, distributed were plastic sheets for the people to use in reconstructing their houses or other temporary shelters while they plan construction of permanent units.

However, Assistant Disaster Risk Management Officer for Phalombe, Davie Chibani concurred with Kapito on the call to return to normalcy, saying people affected by the floods were supposed to start relocating without necessarily waiting for external support to become productive again.

“We advised them to go back to their daily socio-economic activities so that they can make ends meet and walk out of this situation as opposed to loitering at this school every day,” Chibani said.

Floods hit nine villages in Phaloni under the area of Traditional Authority Kaduya after Namphende River swelled, bursting its banks and overflowing to dwelling houses, subsequently destroying over 290 houses and rendering 68 households homeless